Container coupling fittings



June 17, 1969 1., c. LAFONT ET AL 3,449,801

CONTAINER COUPLING I"I"IJ'IN(J.;

Filed July 24, 1967 Sheet 1 of 4 1N VENTORS LEO C. LAFONT 8 EMORY L.KERR

June 17, 1969 LAFONT ET AL CONTAINER COUPLING FITTINGS Sheet Filed July24 1967 a lip 14 INVENTORS LEO CLAFONT 8 EMORY L.KE/-?R June 17, 1969 L.c. LAFONT ET AL 3,449,801

CONTAINER COUPLING FITTINGS Sheet 3 of4 Filed July 24, 1967 INVENTORSLEO C. L/lFO/VT 8 EMORY L. KERR June 17, 1969 c. LAFONT ET AL 3,449,801

CONTAINER COUPLING FITTINGS Fil d July 24, 1967 Sheet L of 4" FIG. 7

22 F l G. 6 INvENTORS LEO C. LAFONT GEMORY L.KERR

United States Patent 3,449,801 CONTAINER COUPLING FITTINGS Leo C.Lafont, Newark, and Emory L. Kerr, Cranford,

N.J., assignors, by mesne assignments, to John J. Mc-

Mullen Associates, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York FiledJuly 24, 1967, Ser. No. 655,376 Int. Cl. B653 1/08; B66c 1/42 US. Cl.24-81 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Summary of prior artConventional designs for cellular container ships and systems for theloading and discharging thereof are such that containers can only beloaded and discharged therefrom one at a time. On the other hand,fittings permitting the marrying of two containers together for over theroad transportation are available, but these require that one containerbe backed into another to have the fittings enter the corner castingsand then require manual turning of the fittings generally from the spacebetween containers. Furthermore, it is not generally possible tosimultaneously lift two containers thus married. Copending patentapplication entitled Container Transporting and Handling System Ser. No.641,665, filed May 26, 1967, teaches a system for handling twocontainers simultaneously when properly married together, or forhandling one container having a length equal to the total length wisedimensions of the two aforementioned smaller containers. In order toaccomplish the coupling of two containers, connecting fittings areprovided at the lower adjacent comer castings so as to marry thecontainers as a unit and provide the proper spacing therebetween so thatthe overall length is equal to that required for the particular cellguide design.

The aforementioned copending patent application teaches two types ofbottom fittings and refers to a top spacer fitting used for couplingcontainers together for handling, transportation and storage. However,the units disclosed therein were first concepts developed to insure thetechnical feasibility of the entire system disclosed in the application.

Description of invention The present invention covers bottom connectingfittings to permit the marrying of two or more containers in a spacedrelationship by connecting the outside lateral faces of adjacent bottomcorner castings and spacing the top adjacentedges of the containers.

One embodiment includes two fittings tied together with an elongatesteel rod with at least one side removable from the steel rod. Thesefittings serve to structurally connect the containers together and yetmaintain a space between them.

In another preferred embodiment, independent self adjusted fittings areused in each of the two bottom adjacent corner castings. These fittingsalso serve to structurally connect the containers together and yetmaintain a space 3,449,801 Patented June 17, 1969 between them.Furthermore, the fittings do not require manual assembly each time used.

Both embodiments include a top compression fitting which serves tomaintain the space between containers when lifting or lowering.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a bottomconnector capable of carrying two containers together for handling ortransporting without requiring the backing of one container intoanother.

It is another object of the invention to provide a bottom connectorcapable of taking the tensile stress induced therein when handling themarried assembly.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a bottomconnector capable of spacing two married containers such that theoverall dimension of the assembly is equal to the overall dimensions ofa larger standard container.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide aconnector capable of being installed on the containers in a minimumperiod of time.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a connectornot requiring manual operation from the space between containers.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a topcompression fitting capable of spacing two containers from one anotherand taking the induced compression load experienced when lifting orlowering the married assembly.

Other and further objects of the present invention will become apparentwith the following detailed description thereof when taken in view ofthe appended drawings.

Description of drawings FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic perspective of a 20'container being loaded on a 40' chassis.

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic perspective of a vessel illustrating the useof the bottom connecting fitting during the ship loading or unloadingoperation.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective of one specific embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 4 is a detail of the removable fitting of the same specificembodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 5 is a side view of the fitting attached to two containers of thesame specific embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of another specific embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the relatively movably sections of thesame specific embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective of one specific embodiment of the topcompression fitting.

Detailed description of embodiments Referring to FIGURE 1, a single 20foot container 1 is shown being loaded on a 40 foot chassis 2. Guides 3on the chassis determine the landed position of the container.

Referring to FIGURE 2, two married 20 foot standard USASI/ISO containers1, which have true dimensions of l9'-1O /z", 8'-0 by 8'-0" overall each,are shown being lifted into or out of angle shaped cell guides 4 whichare actually spaced 40' apart, all in a ship 5. The married containers,are lifted to and from the angle cell guides 4 by a single ship-based orshore-based crane cooperating with two independent spreader bars or asingle spreader bar 6. One bottom connecting fitting 7 is shown, asecond is similarly located between the opposite adjacent bottom cornerfittings. The top compression fittings 11 are located at the topadjacent corner castings.

Referring to the first embodiment, FIGURES 3, 4,

and 5, each bottom fitting is provided with cast hook like protrusions 9for engaging the corner fittings on the containers. One side of thebottom assembly is provided with a removable fitting as shown in FIGURE4. A stud is used to engage the removable casting with rod 8. Referringto the second and preferred embodiment FIGURES 6 and 7, two independenthook like cast pieces 20 are provided to engage the container cornercastings 21 of adjacent containers. A bolt 22 is passed through eachcasting pair. The bolt threads engage corresponding threads in a wedge24. A keeper 25 is provided on the end of the bolt. The top spacerFIGURE 8 is used between top corner fittings of containers to transmitcompressive loads only, the I section 12 being as deep as the cornercastings and as wide as the space between containers.

Description of use of coupling fittings Two twenty foot standardUSASI/ISO containers (1910 /2" x 8' x 8') will be loaded aboard a 40'chassis As each container is landed aboard a chassis 2, the chassisguides 3 direct the container into a specific position. After twocontainers are loaded on the chassis the overall length of thecontainers will be 40 feet, that is, each container is 19-10%" long andthe guides cause a space of 3 inches between landed containers.

In the first embodiment, the stud 10 of the corner fitting assemblyshown in FIGURE 3 is loosened and fittings 7 are engaged in thecontainers bottom corner castings. After engaging the fittings, thebolts are tightened. Subsequently, two compression fittings each ofwhich consists of a steel I section spacer 12 topped with a light steelplate 13 curved to enter the top of the corner castings, are insertedbetween the top corner castings. The containers are then married andcapable of being handled and stowed together as a unit.

In the second embodiment as shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, the hook likefittings for each corner casting are independent. After two 20 footcontainers are landed on the 40 foot chassis 2, the fittings areinserted in the side faces of the lower adjacent containers cornercastings. This is accomplished by loosening stud 22 to retract it fromwedge 24. A keeper 25 is fitted to the end of the stud to preventcomplete withdrawal of the stud and disassembly of the fitting. Thefitting castings 20 may then be adjusted to fit into the containercorner castings 21.

As is best seen in FIG. 7, each fitting casting 20 has an outer end 26in the form of a hook extending inward and back toward an inner end 27.The inner end of each section has a U-shaped profile formed from a pairof legs 28 and 29. When joined for operation, the sections of thefitting are mated so that one leg of each section is positionedintermediate the pair of legs associated with the other section. Eachsection of the fitting is also provided with a pin 30 serving to preventthe accidental separation of the two sections.

After the fitting is inserted into the container corner castings 21, thebolt 22 is tightened thus drawing wedge 24 against the fitting castingto bring the side hole prongs together and expand the center spacers ofthe coupler, taking up any slack in the connection and bringing thecontainers together. After the bottom corner fittings are in place thecompression pieces are inserted between the two containers at the top.

The married containers are then ready for handling or transporting as asingle unit with a 40 ft. standard spreader.

Various modifications can be made to the herein disclosed system, forexample, instead of consisting of an I section, the compression piecemay be welded channels or steel blocks; containers may be handled sideto side rather than end to end.

We claim:

1. Fittings for marrying two containers together in a spacedrelationship to permit simultaneous handling and transporting of the twocontainers as one unit, the fittings comprising a pair of bottomfittings each having a pair of spaced protrusions for fitting into theadjacent corner castings of said containers, and each bottom fittinghaving a central portion of suitable strength to withstand vertical andhorizontal loading forces transmitted within the plane of the bottomfitting, and securing means coupled to each bottom fitting forreleasably and securely maintaining the protrusions in the respectivecorner castings during use wherein said securing means includes a boltextending through at least one bottom fitting and having an enlargedstud-like member exposed at the outer face thereof so that said securingmeans can be actuated by operation of said stud, and threaded means onthe opposite side of the bottom fitting from the stud-like memberoperatively cooperating with said bolt for securing the bottom fittingwhen said bolt is turned in one direction and for releasing the bottomfitting when the bolt is turned in the other direction and wherein eachbottom fitting includes two relatively movable sections, each sectionhaving an outer end in the form of a hook extending inward and backtoward the opposite container, and each section further including aninner end overlapping the corresponding inner end of the other section,the inner end of one of the sections having a U-shaped profile and theinner end of the other section having at least one leg fitting betweenthe legs of the said U-shaped profile, said threaded means comprisingactivating means operated by said bolt and mechanically coupled to theinner ends of said section for operably forcing said sections in furtheroverlapping relation so as to draw the hook portions into positive andsecure engagement with the associated corner casting.

2. Fittings as set forth in claim 1 wherein the inner ends of theoverlapping parts of said sections include crossing inclined planesextending within the space between the adjacent containers when saidbottom fitting is held on the outer sides of the corner castings, andsaid actuating means including a wedge-like member fitted between theinclined planes having a threaded part receiving the bolt such thatoperation of said stud draws the wedge-like member along said inclinedplanes so as to draw the hook portions of said cooperating sectionstogether.

3. Fittings as set forth in claim 2 wherein the inner end of eachsection has a U-shaped profile and arranged in mutual overlappingengagement with the inner end of the other section, said bolt passingthrough a space formed between the centermost legs of the overlappingconfiguration, each leg of the configuration being provided with aninclined plane crossing the inclined plane of the next adjacent leg,each inclined plane terminating in an abutment which engages, when thebottom fitting is fully seated, the side of the corner casting in whichthe hook part of the other section is seated.

4. A fitting for marrying two containers together in a spacedrelationship to permit simultaneous handling and transporting of the twocontainers as one unit, the fitting comprising first and second fittingelements each having a first protrusion thereon serving to engage arespective one of said two containers and each having a secondprotrusion thereon serving to define a space between said two containersand stud means associated with said second protrusions on said first andsecond fitting elements which, when activated, exert a force on saidsecond protrusions which causes said second protrusions to urge the twocontainers apart until said containers are encountered by, andrestrained from further separating movements by, said first protrusions.

5. The fitting as recited in claim 4 wherein said second protrusions onsaid first and second fitting elements define overlapping inclinedplanes.

6. The invention as set forth in claim 5 wherein said stud meansincludes a wedge for contacting the respective surfaces of said inclinedplanes and for forcing said in- 5 clined planes to move relative to oneanother upon activation of said stud means.

7. The invention as set forth in claim 6 wherein each fitting element isso shaped and is so associated with its overlapping fitting element andsaid stud means so that the first protrusion thereof contacts one ofsaid two containers and the second protrusion thereof contacts the otherof said two containers.

8. The fitting as recited in claim 7 wherein said first protrusions onsaid first and second fitting elements are in the form of hooks adaptedto engage the bodies of said two containers.

9. A method for marrying two containers together in a spacedrelationship to permit simultaneous handling and transporting of the twocontainers as one unit, and comprising the steps of aligning the twocontainers with the desired space therebetween; applying a fitting tothe bottom portions of the containers in the region of said space forrigidly holding said containers in the desired spacial relationship; andapplying a compression fitting to the top portions of the containers inthe region of said space for maintaining the space between the topadjacent edges of the containers when lifting or lowering same.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 922,293 5/1909 Kirchner 105-3661,477,723 12/1923 Smith 105-366 1,988,944 1/1935 Hankins et a1. 105-3662,942,912 6/1960 Lucas et al 105-366 X 3,018,537 1/1962 Imparato 24-81 X3,167,028 1/1965 Gutridge et al 105-366 DONALD A. GRIFFIN, PrimaryExaminer.

US. Cl. X.R.

